Catalyst for the production of ammonia and process of making the same.



omen snares FREDRIK W. DE JAHN, OF NEW YORK, N.

Y1, ASSIGNOIR T0 GENE'EAL CHEE'IEGAL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COEPORATIQN 0F NEW YORK.

CATALYST FOR THE ERODUGTI'BN OF MIT/IONIA AND ZP'BGGESS Oh MAKING SAME,

treason.

NoJDrawing. Original application filed February 2'1, 1914, Serial No. 820,18$. Divided and this application filed an an, 1914.

duction of ammonia and more particularly to a new catalytic agent therefor, its production and use. a

The presentapplication 1s a division of my. pending application, Serial Number 820,186,'filed February 21, 1914,

I have discovered that if a gaseous mixture containing nitrogen and hydrogen is suitably passed in contact with a suitable material composed mainly or es'sentlally 'of nitrogen and an alkali metal, such as sodium or potassium, the nitrogen and hydrogen of the gaseous mixture are united to form ammonia. When nitrogen and sodium are used as the catalytic agenasuch agent is preferably prepared by suitahlypassing dry am-' moma gas in contact with metallic sodium at a temperature of about*3()0 C. With a catalytic agent so prepared nitrogen and hydrogen may be caused to combine, with the production of ammonia at a temperature ranging from about 550 C. to about 600 C. and a pressure less than 100 atmospheres, for example, a pressure averaging about 85 atmospheres.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, it is now set forth in the form of a specific example, it being understood, of course, that the invention is not to be limited to the exact materials or proportions thereof nor to the other conditions of the example, since these may be varied without departing from my invention. Emample l.-Preparing the cataZ z cer. Pumice stone in small pieces is purified by treatment with hydrochloric acid in the cold for about twenty-four hours; it is then Washed with distilled water until free from chlorid and then ignited to dryness. Ofthis product, dry, granular, pumice stone, 100 grams are mixed with 46 grams of metallic sodium in an indifferent atmosphere, such Specification of Letters Patent.

' known manner.

Pa'tentedl lov 9, iltiilio Serial No. 18,188.

as that of hydrogen, and the material is heated forthe purpose of melting the sodium and distributing it over the surfaces of the pumice granules; the material is preferably stirred vigorously during this heating so as to aid in making the distribution of the sodium uniform. The indifi'erent atmosphere is then displaced by anhydrous ammonia vapor or gas and the material is heated to about 309 C. in a current of this ammonia vapor until a practically constant weight is obtained. The material after being cooled is preserved ready for use preferably in a dry atmosphere of ammonia. The pumic stone acts as a carrier or support for the catalytic agent and may, of course, be replaced by any other suitable inert and heat resistant material, preferably one which is either porous or fibrous or both. Instead of the sodium an equivalent amount of potassium may be used and instead of the sodium or potassiumfollowed" by treatment with ammonia, sodium or potassium amide may be used.

Example H-Utilieing the catalyze?- to produce a'mmonio. -For producing 'ammoni'a about l2'8gra 'ms of the above sodium and nitrogen eata-lyzer, or a corresponding amount .of its equivalent, are placed in a suitable catalytic chamber for ammonia synthesis and there is passed in contact with such catalyzer a gas current preferably containing one volume of nitrogen and three volumes of hydrogen. The gas mixture must be suitably purified and must be freed especially from contact poisons in the well With the pressure of the gas traversing the chamber within the range of 34: to 95 atmospheres and the temperature of the treatment approximately between 550 and 600 (1, I have succeeded in producing synthetic ammonia to the extent that the ammonia gas leaving the treating chamber constituted up to by volume of the total gas leaving said chamber, this percentage depending upon the applied pressure. The ammonia is removed from the discharged from the catalytic chamber in any suitable manner.

I claim:

1. A new article of manufacture, which is adapted to cause nitrogen and hydrogen to combine to produce ammonia, said article being composed essentially of an alkali metal and nitrogen and distributed over a suitable carrier.

2. A new article of manufacture, which is adapted to cause nitrogen and hydrogen to combine to produce ammonia, said article being composed essentially of sodium and nitrogen and distributed over a suitable car- 3. A new article of manufacture which is adapted to cause nitrogen and hydrogen to combine to produce ammonia, said article being composed essentially of sodium and nitrogen and distributed over pumice,

l. A new article of manufacture, which is adapted to cause nitrogen and hydrogen to combine to produce ammonia said article being'obtainable by treating metallic sodium distributed over a suitable carrier with ammonia and being composed essentially of sodium and nitrogen;

5 As a new article of manufacture a catalytic substance suitable for the production of synthetic ammonia, said substance being composed essentially of an alkali metal and nitrogen and being capable of being prepared by treating said alkali metal in elemental form with a current of ammonia at a temperature of about 300 C.

6. The process of making a catalytic agent suitable for producing ammonia, which consists in distributing an alkali metal over the surface of a suitable carrier and then treating the product thus formed'with ammonia at a temperature of about 300 C.

'Tr'The process of making a catalytic agent suitable for producing ammonia, which consists in distributing sodium over the surface of a suitable carrier and then treating the product thus formed with ammonia at a temperature of about 300 C.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDRIK 7. DE JAHN. \Vitnesses: I

JOHN A. FERGUsoN, FRED A. KLEIN. 

